This invention relates to an image recording method and apparatus in which a magazine holding a photo-sensitive material is loaded in an image recording apparatus and a latent image is formed on the photo-sensitive material by optical exposure to achieve an image recording operation.
In one example of a conventional image recording apparatus using a photo-sensitive material a belt-shaped photo-sensitive material wound in the form of a roll is held in a magazine, and the magazine is loaded in the apparatus. An image recording operation with the conventional apparatus is carried out as follows: A predetermined length of the photo-sensitive material is pulled out of the magazine and a latent image is formed on that length of photo-sensitive material by optical exposure. The exposed photo-sensitive material is then subjected to developing, and the developed image is transferred onto an image receiving material when necessary.
The above-described photo-sensitive material maybe wound for instance on a cylindrical core. In general, the photo-sensitive material is in the form of a thin film. Therefore, a considerable length of the belt-shaped photo-sensitive material can be wound on the core, and the resultant roll of photo-sensitive material has a large diameter. The roll of photo-sensitive material is tightly wound on the core and as a result, the end portion of the photo-sensitive material which is in contact with the core is compressed by the layers of the photo-sensitive materials laid one on another. As a consequent, the step formed at the edge of the end portion of the photo-sensitive material damages the part of the photo-sensitive material which overlays the end portion. It goes without saying that an image formed on the photo-sensitive material thus damaged is unsatisfactory in quality. This difficulty may be eliminated by preventing the use of the photo-sensitive material in the magazine while a predetermined length of photo-sensitive material still remains in the magazine, so that the part thus damaged is not used. However, when a magazine holding a photo-sensitive material long enough for an image recording operation is loaded in the image recording apparatus, it is difficult to accurately detect the length of the remaining photo-sensitive material which is actually usable.
In the case of color photo-sensitive materials, even if different rolls of color photo-sensitive materials are of the same kind, they are slightly different in sensitivity and in coloring characteristic according to their lots in manufacture, and therefore they will not result in the same control balance, even if they are exposed under the same conditions. Accordingly, whenever a magazine is loaded in the image recording apparatus it is necessary to perform image recording control for color balance correction.